An
employee asked to take on managerial responsibilities ought to be
ready to make the case for a promotion after three months of solid
performance as a manager.

Am
I management material?

Q.I've
been employed with the same company for 10 years. My official job
title is financial analyst, and I report to the financial operations
manager. For the last year and a half, the manager and I have been
working at both locations, rotating throughout the week. The company
decided it is inefficient to have us rotating plants, so I was informed
that I would take over all of my manager's duties at one plant and
she will handle everything at the other plant. Since these are two
small plants, we handle all HR-related issues, all financial issues,
benefits, general office management, etc. I now also manage the
administrative assistant at the plant. All of these are increases
in responsibility, but I did not receive a promotion or a salary
increase.

I've
been in the position for a little over a month and have completed
the office remodeling project and handled many other crises effectively.
I'm doing the same job my manager and all of the previous managers
were doing. I've been putting information together to ask for a
promotion to at least assistant financial manager. What do you think
I should do and how should I handle it?

A.There
are two things you should consider before you ask for a promotion.
First, if you are functioning as a manager, ask to be promoted to
a manager. An assistant manager is someone who helps a manager perform
his or her job responsibilities. Someone responsible for one of
two plants could be seen to be managing the plant, not assisting
someone else in managing it.

If
you are truly functioning as a manager, you should ask your supervisor
and/or HR department to classify you into the new job.

The
second issue to consider is whether you have the necessary skills
and experience to function as a manager.

You
could be functioning as a manager, but without all the necessary
skills to be classified as a manager. If that's the case, use this
opportunity to learn and observe as much as possible as a manager.
In about three months, remind your manager or HR department that
for three months you have been performing as a manager, and would
like to know when the company plans to promote you to the new role.
Also use the meeting to ask for additional HR training, and other
courses that will train you to be a good manager.

I'm
suggesting that you wait three months before you talk to your manager
because it will let you show your company that you can function
as a manager. It will also show that you are willing to take on
new responsibilities to support the overall objectives of the company.
In addition to portraying you as a team player, waiting three months
makes it difficult for your company to tell you the role is temporary.

So
give it some time, then speak to your HR department. Remember: ask
to be classified as a manager, not an assistant manager.